Reading, market data, and recovery support.

Through Q1 2026 in the Canopy MLS service area, median sale prices in Buncombe County sit at $472,000, Henderson at $458,000, Haywood at $419,000. Inventory is 3.1–4.8 months across the WNC counties — balanced toward neutral, not the seller frenzy of 2022. Properties priced correctly are still moving in 30–45 days; properties priced on aspiration sit.

Standard NC commission runs 5–6% total, typically split between listing and buyer agents. Closing costs (attorney, recording, transfer, NC excise tax at $1/$500 of sale price) add roughly 1.0–1.5%. Heather offers transparent commission discussion at the valuation call — including reduced rates for repeat clients and dual representation when appropriate.

Three things city buyers underestimate: road grade in winter (which gravel roads ice and which the county plows), well and septic systems (most mountain parcels are not on city utilities), and cell service / internet (Verizon dead zones are real, fixed wireless and Starlink fill some gaps but not all). Heather walks every property she shows and surfaces these before they become surprises.

Better for buyers than 2022 — inventory has roughly doubled, days on market are back over 35, and sellers are negotiating again. Better for sellers than 2008–2014 — prices are still up 30%+ from pre-pandemic baselines, just no longer rising at 20% a year. The right answer depends on your timeline and your motivation, not on market noise.

A typical NC purchase closes 30–45 days from accepted offer. Cash deals close in 14–21. NC uses an attorney closing system (not title companies), so the attorney coordinates title search, deed prep, and disbursement. The buyer chooses the attorney by NC custom — Heather has trusted attorneys to recommend in each county she works.

Heather serves twelve towns across the Buncombe and Henderson belt — Asheville, Hendersonville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Fletcher, Mills River, Candler, Arden, Leicester, Swannanoa, Skyland Terrace, Alexander — plus active work in Haywood and Caldwell counties when a property fits. If your property is in WNC, the conversation is worth having.

Yes — and they get the same care as a $1M sale. The Mills River closing in September 2025 was a first-time-buyer couple. The process is the same: pre-approval, targeted walks, real diligence. The difference is more time spent at step one explaining what each line of the contract actually does.

A Comparative Market Analysis is a written estimate of what your home would sell for today, based on comparable sales in your subdivision and county. Heather provides CMAs free for any property in her service area — no listing obligation, no sales pressure. It is a real document with the actual comps attached, not a Zestimate.

Most are. Inspection should always include floodplain check (FEMA maps), evidence of water intrusion in basements or crawls, and HVAC ductwork inspection. River-adjacent and creek-adjacent properties need closer attention — many performed fine, some did not. Heather works with inspectors who know exactly what to look for in WNC post-Helene.

Common in WNC. A private road maintenance agreement should be recorded — if not, get one written before close. Shared well agreements need water-test history and a clear-share formula. These are not deal-killers, but they are deal terms most buyer agents do not check. Heather does.